HIBINOSEKKEI, Youji no Shiro and KIDS DESIGN LABO collaborated to renovate and add on to the KB Primary and Secondary School with more modern touches in Sasebo, Japan.

A closed public secondary school was renovated as a private primary and secondary school. Now in Japan many schools are getting old and it’s time to renovate or rebuild. In addition, new style and approach of modern education such as “ICT education” and “active learning” are required for students’ experiential and interactive leaning. In these situations, we realized school renovation for low cost by designing all school furniture newly which makes students learn actively collaborating with in reusing the frame.

For example, in the art room there are trapezoid tables and chairs, whose layout can be changed easily in adjusting to the content of art activity and the number of students. In the active learning room, there are comma-shaped tables and movable chairs with casters, where students can discuss actively by making different sizes of groups and moving freely. Also, wood used for most of furniture including homeroom’s table and chair, is only natural material, so students can learn how the wood gets aged and how to take good care of things.

Through designing totally including furniture as well as interior, this school were born again for students to have a lot of experiences and learnings in accordance with the modern education.

Architect: HIBINOSEKKEI, Youji no Shiro and KIDS DESIGN LABO
Photography: Toshinari Soga (Studio BAUHAUS)